CREW'S STORIES
RETURN TO:
I Was Gunnery Officer
1944
plank owner
Lodwick H. Alford
Subject:
BENNINGTON
Date:
Fri, 16 Jun 2000 14:48:13 -0400
From:
"Lodwick H. Alford" LAlford@compuserve.com
To:
"Joseph L. Pires" jkpires@uss-bennington.org
Mr. Pires
My apologies for late response to yours of 01 Jun.00. Was Gunnery Officer. Reported to pre-commissioning detail in March 1944-proud to be a plank owner by God! Departed in June 1945 somewhere off Okinawa as I remember. Was in rank of lieutenant commander all time on board. Continued regular Navy career with varied assignments ashore and afloat. Commanded a Fletcher class destroyer in Korean War, a division of four destroyers in the Atlantic Fleet, a squadron of eight destroyers in the Sixth Fleet and an 18,000 ton destroyer tender in Atlantic Fleet. Retired in 1967 in the rank of captain. Eventually settled on the coast of my native Georgia just a block from my beloved ocean. Subsequently acquired my own 38 ft sailboat and cruised 22 years from the Florida panhandle, Chesapeake Bay, New England and several voyages to the Bahamas.
Have two children and four grandchildren. Son Kirk born in May 1945 while still on board BENNINGTON was 1967 graduate of West Point and badly wounded in Vietnam-now OK. Lost his mother in 1993 and in 1994 remarried to high school classmate and sweetheart who had been a widow for 30 years. Wait til you see her-a knockout.
Hope to make the reunion in Nashville but cannot guarantee it. At age 86 I have to watch my priorities. My children forced me to dispose of the boat. Appreciated the other shipmates on your email list welcomeing me on board. Give them my thanks.
Best regards
Captain Alford
RETURN TO:
